1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of data processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the response to an outbreak of a computer virus on a data processing system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide anti-virus systems for detecting computer viruses. Some known anti-virus systems will, upon user request, search for and automatically disinfect computer files that have been infected by a computer virus.
As the threat from computer viruses increases, there is a need for more robust anti-virus systems to deal with the threat. When a virus outbreak occurs within a computer system (an outbreak being more than the detection of a single virus infected file), then the various further steps that may be taken to reduce the spread and impact of the computer virus detection are numerous. An organisation having a large IT support system may have constantly available expert personnel able to deal with an outbreak when it occurs by applying the appropriate counter-measures. However, in many situations a computer virus may occur in circumstances where appropriate personnel able to deal with the virus outbreak are not available. Furthermore, the effects of a computer virus outbreak upon the normal operation of a computer system can be severe and in the midst of dealing with these consequences it is possible that certain useful counter-measures may be overlooked.